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South African 100m record holder Akani Simbine says his career should not be defined by medals, insisting that his legacy goes far beyond the podium.
The seven-time national champion clocked 10.04 seconds to finish seventh in Sunday’s 100m final at the World Senior Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
It was the fourth time Simbine reached a world championship final without winning an outdoor medal. No South African has featured in seven world championships except Simbine.
For the first time in history, two South Africans lined up in a major 100m final, with Gift Leotlela finishing fifth in an impressive time of 9.95 seconds.
Jamaica dominated the event in front of a packed national stadium with athletics icon Usain Bolt watching from the stands, as Oblique Seville stormed to gold in 9.77 seconds ahead of compatriot Kishane Thompson (9.82), while American Noah Lyles settled for bronze in 9.89.
Earlier this year, Simbine won bronze in the 60m at the World Indoor Championships, but his wait for an individual outdoor medal at a major competition continues. Despite this, the 32-year-old insists his career is a success story.
“I said this last year, and I’ll say it again: medals are not my story. They’re just a cherry on top,” Simbine explained.
“If you look at my career, I’ve achieved things no one in Africa has done before—like running sub-10 seconds for eleven years in a row, breaking Bolt’s record. I’ve made three Olympic finals and four world finals. That’s success.”
Critics often point to his inability to step up on the biggest stage, but Simbine refuses to let the lack of medals overshadow his impact.
“When it matters most, yes, I haven’t been on the podium. But that doesn’t bother me. That’s just someone else’s opinion,” he said.
“For me, it’s about showing up, competing, and inspiring. I’ve paved the way for so many athletes in South Africa and across Africa, and they’re learning from my journey. That’s powerful.”
Simbine remains proud of the role he has played in shaping African sprinting.
“I take responsibility for continuing to write my story, believing in myself, and not letting those fourth and fifth-place finishes get in my head. My career is about much more than medals,” he added.
